


By the bonfire

by AliasLua



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Bay Movies), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Campfires, Fluff, Gen, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:22:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27443356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliasLua/pseuds/AliasLua
Summary: All the family leaves the lair for a well deserved vacation at an abandoned camping spot. The reader enjoys the roadtrip with the turtles, oblivious of Leonardo's intention of confession his crush for them.
Relationships: Donatello (TMNT)/Leonardo (TMNT)/Michelangelo (TMNT)/Raphael (TMNT)/Reader, Leonardo (TMNT)/Reader
Kudos: 28





	By the bonfire

Even the night sky seemed different, it seemed to be made of a deep, dark blue and all the stars were visible. It was so different from the greyish sky of New York, with all the artificial lights from the buildings and billboards obfuscating the celestial bodies. Here, the night seemed bare.

"That's Ursa Major," Donnie said, pointing to a set of stars. "You can see them more clearly between July and September."

You sighed. Wrapped in a blanket with a mug of warm tea in hand, this was the most comfortable moment you had experienced in the past few months and everything seemed perfect, if it weren't for someone's absence.

"Where's Leo?" You asked

"He's at the pier ... He said he wanted to do a night run by the lake."

You get up, decided to find him... It seemed like you two should talk, especially after things had gotten a little awkward in that evening. 

* * *

It all started when - after weeks of insisting - Mikey convinced Leonardo to decree a family vacation. At first, it seemed like an absurd idea: where could you go? There was no disguise in the world that could make them go unnoticed during a sightseeing tour, there was a reason why they had never left New York. But the youngest of the brothers - with the help of Donatello and his collection of maps - had planned everything. A roadtrip, navigating abandoned roads till a Environmental Preservation Area that had been used as a camping spot in the 1980s, but had been closed for visitation after an deadlock in court with the owner of the property. It was a good plan, actually: the Turtle Truck had enough structure to travel on the roads even if they were not in the best condition, the area was already suitable for camping and they would be careful not to pollute or leave traces in nature and, well, it was not as if you were in any danger, as they are a team of highly trained ninjas - even Master Splinter agreed to participate in the undertaking.

You all spent the whole day packing your bags and adjusting the minor details. It was the first time they had taken a vacation and you were so happy to be part of it! The feel of excitement and anxiety at the lair had transformed the general spirit and everyone had high expectations. When the big day came, you left early in the morning. 3 am is not an usual time for humans to wake up, but you should have gotten used to it, or at least expected it. The Turtle Truck had been renovated to fit all of you and now it had the same configuration as a van's seats. The fresh air of the dawn and the swing of the car at the beginning of the trip were too comfortable to be ignored and you fell asleep without even realizing it.

A big hole in the road made you jump out of the seat and what seemed to be muffled laughts made you open your sleepy eyes. You didn't realize when or how, but sitting on the middle bench, you fell asleep in Leo's arms - You had nothing to complain about, in fact it was quite comfortable but the restless laughter of his brothers made you suspicious of something.

"Are you guys laughing at me?" You ask, sleepily "Am I drooling?" You look at Leonardo and he looks a little more shy than usual, maybe even a little ... embarrassed?

“No! No ... Y / N, don't mind them ... You can keep sleeping."

"Ok ... Are your arms uncomfortable?"

"No." He responds promptly "Make yourself comfortable".

You smile and lie on his shoulder again, adjusting to be closer to him. There was an indecipherable thing about Leo, that strange and special way you felt about him. You felt safe, you felt good, comfortable. He was like lighthouse, always guiding you to the nearest safe harbor.

You had no idea - but Michelangelo had omitted from you the secret weapon that he had used to convince the team leader to make a discreet trip to that lake ... The possibility of using that time to get close to you. It had been a few months since they had discovered the older brother's secret crush for you and since then Leo had suffered daily teasing about it - deep down everyone hoped it would work out, it seemed natural for you two to be became a couple after all you been thru together, the idea of the camping trip was also an honest and true team attempt to give enough opportunities for the fearless leader to finally take action. 

It started in the car, right after you woke up. Michelangelo was the co-pilot and gave you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and some orange juice. It was so calming and relaxing to eat while watching the road go by, especially that one, that was so empty and surrounded by virgin forest.

"Let's play "who am I"! " Mikey suggested "I'm going to think about someone and you have to find out who it is by asking yes or no questions."

Donnie started

"Are you a human?"

"Yes."

Then Leo

"Do we know you, personally?"

"Yes."

"Ah, that's too easy! You only know four people." You said.

"Just ask already." Michelangelo said, his mouth full of bread.

"Ok ... Do you consider this person a close friend?"

"Yes."

It was Raphael's turn. From the back of the van he exclaimed:

"Are you Leo's favorite person?"

"YES!" Mikey exclaimed from the front seat

"So it's Y / N."

"Anwww ..." You said looking at Leo "Am I your favorite person?"

If you weren't mistaken, he looked a bit red, maybe even blushing "Y-you said it yourself ... huh ... I only know four people."

"Ouch" you answered, before all the other brothers burst out laughing, waking up Master Splinter.

You played a few more times. Donatello was George Washington, Raphael was Angela Davis, Leonardo chose Mestre Splinter and you chose Leonardo himself.

After that, you listened to the radio a little bit until Michelangelo put on a podcast. The road didn't seem to change and your eyes started to weigh again when Donnie stopped to fill the tank. Raphael and Michelangelo fought to see who would continue the rest of the trip in the front seat, Mikey was defeated and with his head down went to the back seat.

Through the reflection of the mirror in the front seat, Raphael looked at you and Leo talking.

"I spy with my little eyes ..." he started "... Someone very nervous trying to pretend that everything is fine while talking to his cru-" Leo took the impulse when the car bounced from a hole in the road and kicked Raphael's seat.

"Ops, my bad." He said, then completely ignored his brother's comment and continued to speak to you again. You thought it was a little strange but you didn't understand Raph's last words... Anyway, you were paying attention while Leo explained the art of reading your luck by looking at your hand's lines, while caressing your palm.

When you were almost reaching your destination, one of the tires flat.

"I'll go change it!" You said," The road looks empty, but if a car happens to pass by, it's better to spot someone changing a tire than a giant turtle."

"I'll go with you." Leo said "I'll be behind the truck, nobody will see me ... It's just so I can help you."

It wasn't the first tire you had ever changed and Donnie had powered the hydraulic jack, so everything was especially easy. You were crouched on the floor and Leo was at your side, holding the lug nuts while you fit the step tire.

"You know, Y / N I ... I admire you." He said, breaking the silence.

"For changing the tire?" You asked.

"For being so ... independent, resourceful. I like your attitude."

"Oh ..." You said, a little blushed "Thank you. I like that you came to help me and also allowed me to do it ... I feel like you don't underestimate me."

"Never." He said, smiling.

There was something different about that smile. Something intimate, vulnerable. You could not say what it was, but the sensation that filled your chest was an unexpected heat.

When you arrived at the location, it seemed a shame that it wasn’t opened for visitation anymore. The area was a dense and vibrant forest that ended up in a meadow that surrounded the lake, the water was almost transparent and everything seemed so bright and magical that you thought you were transported to another world. You pitched the tents at a speed that one could only achieve with military discipline, it was almost evening and nobody wanted to miss a chance to swim a little before dinner. 

The water was really cold and the first minutes inside were univinting but it didn’t matter… You were so happy in spending this time with them and they were absolutely mesmerized by the view of the place. So much to see, so many things to try and the sensation of ruining free in the wild without any scared humans around made everything perfect. Donnie spent all the time collecting plants and small fish that hang by the edge of the lake, Mikey and Raph race from one edge of the lake to the other and Master Splinter was meditating in the woods. 

You and Leo… You swimmed. He looked so happy to be in the water and you couldn't help but to presume it was part of his nature, that lake was nothing like the Lair’s pool, he felt free, comfortable… Confident. It was hard to tell how long you spent together in the lake, but at one point you were lying down at his shell, floating mindlessly right at the middle of the lake, only darkness below you and despite that, you felt safe. You were so close… So hypnotized by that gesture of pure affection and care.

“Y/N…” He said, turning around and letting you go, only to hold you in his arms. He was warm despite the cold water and his gestures were gentle. Suddenly, you started to get nervous, he was so close to you… 

“HEY LOVE BIRDS. TIME FOR DINNER. QUIT MESSING AROUND.” Raph screamed from the edge of the lake. An invitation to make dinner never looked so inconvenient. 

* * *

So here you were now, after dinner was made and eaten, trying to find him in the darkness of the night, dying to hear whatever it was he wanted to say. Your heart pounded for the possibility of being alone with him again and everything felt heavier by the time you reached the pier, whatever it was… It seemed serious, secretive, confessional. 

“Leo” you said, finding him seated with his feet submerged in water. 

“Hey,” He smiled, offering his hands to help you through the couple of stairs. You seated next to him, wondering how he could survive all the mosquito bites. Maybe turtles didn’t get them? 

“It’s a bit cold here… Don’t you want to come back to the bonfire?” 

“Well, I…” You said, rubbing your hands in your arms, it was really cold “I was hoping you would tell me what you wanted to say at that time… when we were swimming.” 

“Oh” His eyes widened and even in the dark, you could tell he was blushing “Well…” He sighed deeply. You heart was pounding…

“It was nothing. I… I am just glad you’re a part of my life… O-of _our_ lives.” 

You couldn’t even disguise the disappointed “oh” that left your lips. Suddenly you realize that you were expecting something completely different, something that would change things between the both of you.

“Come…” He said, after some uncomfortable silence established between you “Lets go back, you’ll freeze here.”

And so you did. Leo, you and your suddenly broken heart. 

Seated next to each other by the bonfire, you couldn’t stop thinking how naive it was to assume anything and Leo couldn’t stop thinking about how he ruined the perfect chance he had to declare himself to you. One thing you had in common: the fresh realization that what you felt for each other was more deep, complex and overwhelming then you once thought and the burning desire to finally end the suffering caused by insecurity and maybe, just maybe…

**Author's Note:**

> This was so fun to write and also quite endearing. I had to rush things up at the end or this would end up too long but I hope you enjoy it anyway c: Let me know what you think <3  
> A big thank you for @dianounais on tumblr for sending the ask that inspired this ficlet.   
> Also, I did my best at proofreading but this is a reminder that English isn't my first language so I appreciate any heads up about the text. Thank you


End file.
